Mountain biking in Central Oregon fundamentally changed last year when the U.S. Forest Service announced it would allow Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes on 161 miles of the 320 miles of singletrack trails on the Deschutes National Forest near Bend.

With the first season of legal e-bike trail riding coming to a close starting Dec. 1, it seems the season went fairly smoothly, although challenges remain, according to the Forest Service and the Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA), which supported the decision.

“Generally speaking, the first season of Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes on select trails on the Deschutes National Forest has gone well,” said Jaime Olle, public affairs specialist for the Deschutes National Forest. “We have substantial partner support for education and signage.…